Cacciucco

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Servings: 6

Origin

• Region: Tuscany (Livorno)

• Historical Context: Traditionally made by coastal fishermen using the small, unsellable fish left over in their nets. Legend holds that the dish must contain at least five different types of fish—one for each 'c' in the name.

Description

A bold, spicy, thick seafood stew. Various types of seafood—octopus, cuttlefish, mussels, clams, and firm white fish—are slow-cooked in waves according to their cooking times inside a rich tomato broth flavored with red wine, garlic, and red chili peppers.

Presentation

Served in deep, wide ceramic bowls. The bottom of each bowl is lined with a thick slice of rustic bread that has been toasted, rubbed with fresh garlic, and drizzled with olive oil. The thick seafood stew is ladled generously over the top.

Ingredients

• 500g whole octopus or cuttlefish, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces

• 400g firm white fish fillets (like gurnard, sea bream, or cod), cut into chunks

• 400g fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded

• 400g fresh clams, purged of sand

• 300g large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 45ml extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves (2 minced, 2 whole for the bread)

• 1 fresh red chili pepper, minced

• 200ml dry red wine

• 800g canned San Marzano whole tomatoes, pureed

• 500ml intense fish stock

• 1 sprig fresh sage

• 6 thick slices of rustic sourdough bread

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Sauté Aromatic Base: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, minced garlic, chili pepper, and sage leaves. Sauté until soft and aromatic (about 6 minutes).

2. Cook Tough Seafood First: Add the octopus and cuttlefish pieces to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes until they release their liquid and begin to firm up.

3. Deglaze with Red Wine: Pour the red wine into the pot. Let it boil rapidly for 3 to 4 minutes until the sharp alcohol scent disappears.

4. Simmer Broth Base: Pour in the pureed tomatoes and fish stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 35 minutes until the octopus is tender.

5. Layer Remaining Seafood: Taste and season the broth with salt. Add the firm white fish chunks first, simmering for 5 minutes. Next, add the shrimp, mussels, and clams. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and steam for 5 to 7 minutes until all the shellfish have opened completely. Discard any shells that remain closed.

6. Assemble Plates: While the stew finishes, toast the rustic bread slices until crisp. Rub each slice with the remaining whole garlic cloves and place one in the bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle the hot seafood and broth over the bread and finish with a drizzle of raw olive oil.

Optional Variations

• Cacciucco Viareggino: A lighter variation from Viareggio that uses white wine instead of red and omits the sage for a more delicate broth flavor.

Cooking Tips

• Respect the cooking order. Adding all the seafood at once will yield rubbery shrimp and disintegrated fish while the octopus remains tough.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 460 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 28g

• Protein: 42g

• Fat: 14g

• Saturated Fat: 2.5g

• Cholesterol: 185mg

• Sodium: 940mg